On Tuesday night, the Indiana Pacers rode Tyrese Haliburton's historic play to take a 3-1 lead over the New York Knicks.
Haliburton authored the greatest individual game of this year's playoffs, and the usual suspects on ESPN, including Stephen A. Smith, were quick to talk about "legacy," the face of the league, and who qualifies to be a "superstar."
Foolishly, the talking heads mostly seem convinced: Haliburton is not a superstar, but Jalen Brunson, the loser of the game, is.
Feb 1, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) controls the ball against Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden.
Feb 1, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) controls the ball against Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
One key factor has emerged as to why Bruson seems easily in the top-ten best players in the world, and why Haliburton is still on the outside looking in.
"I really believe this, if Tyrese Halliburton played in New York or LA I feel like we would have been having some type of conversation around him being involved in the face of the league conversation," said Jay Williams. "But since he plays for Indiana, it feels like today, it's like a regional headline. And I think that's unacceptable."
The Pacers, unlike the Knicks and Lakers, are not a national brand. Haliburton and Caitlin Clark are doing their fair share to build Indiana basketball, but the national media is not helping.
Players like Tim Duncan, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Dirk Nowitzki elevated smaller-market teams and became superstars despite narratives being pushed to ignore them. Brunson doesn't have that obstacle, which makes Haliburton's beatdown of the Knicks all the more impressive.
Haliburton is a win away from making the NBA Finals, which New York stars like Brunson and Carmelo Anthony were never able to do.
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